QJJ Wins 24 Medals at the 2026 Sydney Royal 'Fine Food Show' & Melbourne Royal 'Australian Food Awards'

Well, we've gone and done it again — and we're still a bit stunned, to be honest.

We're incredibly proud (and suitably humbled) to announce that Quincey Jones Jelly Preserves Co. has won 24 medals across Australia's two premier food competitions in 2026: 14 medals at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show and 10 medals at the Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards — including 4 Gold medals between them.

That brings our tally to 70 medals in the last three years. Not bad for a small crew making preserves by hand on the banks of the Murray.

A Different Test This Year

Here's the bit we're proudest of. This year, we deliberately rested our previous medal winners. No sending in the champions for another lap of honour — instead, we entered a fresh line-up of products that hadn't been in front of the judges before.

Why? Because awards aren't just about the shiny stickers. The expert feedback from these competitions is some of the most valuable input a producer can get, and we wanted it on a whole new set of jars. The result — 24 medals on an almost entirely new team sheet — tells us something we'd always hoped was true: the quality runs deep, right across our extensive and varied range. It's not one or two star products carrying the label. It's the whole pantry.

2026 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show — 14 Medals

GOLD MEDALS:
– Sparkling Strawberry Fruit Topping – Strawberries with a bit of sparkle. Scored a whopping 92 points.
– Courgette Chutney – The humble zucchini, elevated to gold-medal company.

SILVER MEDALS:
– Boysenberry Jam – Big berry flavour in a little jar.
– Quince Jam – Our namesake fruit, doing us proud.
– Cherry & Vanilla Rum Jam – Dark, rich and just a little cheeky.
– Caramel Apple & Rum Jam – Toffee apple meets the high seas.
– All Natural Muesli – Proof our breakfast game extends beyond the jam jar.

BRONZE MEDALS:
– Rhubarb, Strawberry & Rose Jam – A delicate, floral classic.
– Peach & Prosecco Fruit Topping – Brunch, bottled.
– Sticky Quince Syrup – Pour it on everything. We do.
– Tomato Chutney – The old faithful of the chutney world.
– Tomato Relish – Tangy, savoury, and made for a sausage sizzle.
– Real Tomato Sauce – Real tomatoes. Real flavour. No filler.
– Homemade Brown Sauce – Like Grandad used to hoard.

2026 Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards — 10 Medals

GOLD MEDALS:
– Sticky Chilli Peach Chutney – "Excellent combination of ingredients, a must on a cheese board… Outstanding product!" — the judges, not us.
– Pears for Cheese – "Crisp and flavoursome with subtle spice notes." Built for the platter.

SILVER MEDALS:
– Mango Chutney – Vibrant, smooth and sunshine-coloured.
– Pickled Red Cabbage – "Refreshing flavour, soft but crunchy… great flavour combinations."
– Quince Jam – "The taste is divine," said the judges. We're not arguing.
– Sparkling Strawberry Fruit Topping – Backing up its Sydney Gold with a Melbourne Silver.
– Sticky Quince Syrup – A double medallist in its debut year.

BRONZE MEDALS:
– Boysenberry Jam – Medals in both Sydney and Melbourne.
– Strawberry Jam – "Magnificent colour." The classic, done properly.
– Quince Jelly – "Amazing colour." The jelly that started it all.

Four products — Sparkling Strawberry Fruit Topping, Quince Jam, Sticky Quince Syrup and Boysenberry Jam — medalled at both shows. First year out for the lot of them.

Why These Awards Matter (and Why the Societies Behind Them Matter More)

These aren't just any competitions. The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW has been championing Australian agriculture since 1822. As a not-for-profit, everything it does — from the Sydney Royal Easter Show to the RAS Foundation's scholarships and grants — flows back into rural and regional communities, agricultural education, and building stronger connections between city and country.

Melbourne Royal has been doing the same for Victoria since 1848 — a member-based, not-for-profit organisation whose whole purpose is to celebrate agriculture, cultivate events and strengthen communities, with the Australian Food Awards standing as the national benchmark for food excellence.

When you enter these shows, you're not just chasing medals — you're supporting two institutions that have quietly backed Australian producers, farmers and rural families for the better part of two centuries. We're proud to play our small part.

A Seat on the Other Side of the Table

A personal highlight this year: Tim was chuffed to be invited to join the judging panel at the Melbourne Royal Australian Food Awards. And no — before you ask — there was no marking of our own homework! Tim judged categories well away from our own entries, including Chilli Oils and Cordials.

Being on the other side of the bench was a real eye-opener: the rigour, the structure, the sheer expertise in the room, and the honest benchmarking that every single product receives. It's given us an even deeper respect for the process — and a few ideas for the kitchen, too.

Thank You

To our customers at the markets, our stockists, our online family, and everyone who's ever spread a bit of QJJ on their morning toast — this is your win too. We started on a single folding table at the farmers market, and every jar is still made by hand, in small batches, with real Australian ingredients, right here in Moama on the Murray.

70 medals in three years. We're chuffed, we're grateful, and we're already back at the stove.

Here's to honest food, handmade on the Murray.

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